Methods of connecting intersecting members



July 9, 1957 2,798,284

METHODS OF CONNECTING INTERSECT ING MEMBERS D. P. MUDD 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2. 1954 In venlor DeFeK f'6/l 4/ Mil/d July 9', 1957, D; P. MUDD 2,793,284

' METHODS OF CONNECTING INTERSECTING MEMBERS Filed March 2 1954- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3s 32 as 3/ I nventor United States Patent METHODS OF CONNECTING INTERSEGTING MEMBERS Derek Percival Mudd, Guisborough, England, assignor to Lionweld Limited, MiddleshroughyEngland Application 'March 2,1954, Serial No. 413 650 Claims priority, application Great Britain January 7, 1954 -7 Claims. (Ci. 29?155) This inventon relates to .the construction of floorings and more specifically to the construction of floorings of the kind which comprise a metal framework which is formed of a number of intersecting members. Such a framework may be constructed so that it itself forms an open-work'flooring or grating, the upper surface of which provides the tread surface of the floor, or, alternatively, the framework may ,be covered with a separate-floor surface made, for example, of sheet metal or other material. The expression flooring framework which will be .used in the following description and claims covers, whereever the context permits, both these forms of frame work.

Such flooring frameworks generally comprise a considerable number of intersecting members which may be closely spaced together. The construction of such a framework and the rigid connectionof the members with each other provides a difiicult problem if economic production is to be obtained and if a strong flooring, which is nevertheless light in weight, is-to be produced.

It is, accordingly, the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved method of constructing such flooring frameworks by means of which frameworks of strong but light construction can 1be-pro- Y duced reliably and economically.

According to the invention a method is provided for constructing a flooring framework comprising two sets of intersecting members, which includes the steps of forming the members of a first one of the sets with longitudinally spaced openings, deforming the material of the said members outwardly on at least one side of each of the openings to enlarge the latter and to produce external projections on the members, assembling the members of the two sets in intersecting relationship with the members of the second set passing through the openings in the members of the first set and connecting the memberstogather in their assembled positions, characterized in that the connection of the assembled members is eifected by applying a pair of electrodes to the opposite sides of each member of the first set at its point of intersection with a member of the second set, with one or each of the electrodes engaging one of the projections, passing an electric current between the electrodes through the two members at the said point of intersection while simultaneously forcing the electrodes towards each other so as to produce at least partial flattening of the projection or projections while forcing the material of the first member into intimate contact with the second member and thereby welding the members together. i For the better understanding of the invention the construction of a rectangular open-meshed steel flooring or grating will now be described in greater'detail, by way of example. Reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing part of a section of flooring constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 11-11 of Fig- Dre 1;

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;Figure 3 is,a section taken on the line III-111.015 :Fig-

;Figure 4 is a;detail e,levational view showing a'stage in vthe formation of a member which is to be used in the constructionof thegflooringof Figures l-to 3;

Fi 5 i a de a seetic a v ew sh w ng a s a in the construction of, the actualflooring;

'maybe-used in the, construction of aflooring;

Figure 9 is a view similar .to Figure 8 ,but showing the member in the form in .whichit is used when assembling the flooring;

Figure 10 is a detail elevational view showing another form ,of member which ,is adapted. to .be used, in .con- "junction with members as shown in Figure 9, for the construction of the flooring;

Fi ure 1. a detai ecti na .view showing a stage in the construction ofthe flooring using the members of i u .8 t 10,;

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 but showing the members connected together to form part of the flooring.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, a part of a rectangular section of flooring is shown which has been constructed out "of a number of spaced parallel members 1 of channel section (hereinafter referred to as transverse members) which are intersected at right angles by parallel tures of this invention that it makes it possible, without materially weakening the longitudinalmembers 2, to provide transverse members 1 which, although being of the same, v.or substantially the same, normal overall depth as the members 2, are continuous through their intersections with the latter.

Each of the [channel section transverse members 1 comprises .a central web 3 having flanges 4 along its ,upper and lower edges. .As shown in the drawings each member 1 is formed, preferably by punching or stamping, with a series ofspaced openings 5. These openings are formedthrough the web 3 and are initiallyshaped as shown in Figure 4 so that'the upper and lower edges ,6 of the openings are close against the bases of the flanges 4 of .the members -1.

Afterthe formation of the openings 5 their sides 6 are forced outwardly was to" deform the corresponding parts of the flanges :4 and produce enlargements 7 of the openings andcorresponding,external projections '8, as shown in Figure 5. This latter operation may be eflected at the same time as the punching of the openings'5,:by 11s ing a two-stage die, or it may be carried out as aseparate operation, using an appropriate tool ,or machine.

electrodes, such as are indicated at 9 in Figure 6, are applied under pressure to the projections 8 and a current is passed between the electrodes. In suitable cases high frequency welding may be employed. The electric current causes the softening and welding together of the adjoining parts of the members 1 and 2. The welding may be carried out in such a manner that, after welding, the projections 8 still remain slightly proud of the outer surfaces of the flanges 4 of the members 1, as is shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 6. The projections thus serve to provide a non-slip surface.

As will appear from Figures 1 to 3, a section of flooring can be produced having unbroken straight ends and sides. This can be done by fitting the end channel-section transverse members 1,at the extreme ends of the longitudinal members 2 with the flanges 4 of the said end members directed inwardly and by fitting the outer longitudinal members 2 flush with the ends of the members 1. To do this, the members 1 are formed at their ends with cut-outssuch as 10 (Figure 2) the shape of which corresponds to half one of the openings 5, the ends of the flanges 4 being outwardly deformed and then Welded to the outer members 2 in a similar manner to that which has been described.

Instead of using transverse members of channel section, such members may be of beam or I section as shown at 21 in Figure 7, each such member having a web portion 23 and pairs of flanges 24, the web portion being formed with openings (not shown) corresponding to the openings and the flanges being deformed outwardly to produce projections 28 which are flattened during the welding operation in the manner which has been described. g

It should be noted that even if I section transverse members are used for the greater part of the flooring section, channel-section members should be usedat the edges if smooth and unbroken edges are to be obtained.

The flooring which has been described possesses the advantage that it is welded on both sides which adds considerably to its strength and rigidity, while the sections of flooring are also reversible.

The flooring of the invention can conveniently be manufactured so thata number of panels or sections of it can be joined together to form a continuous flooring. One method of doing this would be to omit the end transverse members 1 and to joggle or stagger the ends of the alternate longitudinal members 2 so that the'ends of these latter members in adjoining sections of flooring can be joined together by bolting, or otherwise.

Alternatively, sections of flooring constructed as described could be joinedtogether simply. by bolting together the adjoining transverse or longitudinal members along the edges of the abutting sections.

Various modifications may be made in the constructions which have been described. For example, the longitudinal members 2 can be formed with slots (similar to the slots 37 of the member 32 shown in Figure of a width corresponding to the width of the flanges .4, so that, when the members 1 (or 21) and 2 have been itively to lock the members 1 (or 21) against movement along the members 2. The depth of the slots can be made equal to the thickness of the flanges 4 (or 24), in which case the flanges can be pressed back into their original positions so as to provide a. flat surface .without the projections 8, or the slots can have a depth less than the thickness of the flanges, in which case the latter would be left with projections corresponding to the projections 8 of Figure 6. e

.Instead of deforming both the upper and lower flanges 4, it would be possible to deform one flange only by members 32 (Figure 10) which are to be used.

an amount suflicient to permit of the insertion of the members 2 in the openings 5.

Figures 8 to 12 show a modified form of construction. In this case the transverse member 31, which may be of channel or I section, comprises a web portion 33 and upper and lower flanges 34. The place of the openings 5 is taken by vertical slots 35 the width of which is made equal to the thickness of the longitudinal In order to allow for the deformation of the flanges 34 the slots 35 are extended laterally at their upper and lower ends, adjacent the flanges 34, by means of cuts 36.

The longitudinal member 32 is similar to the member 2, except that it is formed on its upper and lower edges with slots 37 the width of which is made equal to the overall width of the flanges 34 and the depth of which may be less than or equal to the thickness of these flanges, depending on whether or not it is desired that parts of the flanges 34 should be left projecting from the final flooring. A construction which leaves a flush surface without projections is illustrated.

The openings represented by the slots 35 are enlarged in a similar manner to the openings 5 by deforming the flanges 34 outwardly as shown at 38 in Figure 11.

This may be done at the time when the slots 35 and cuts 36 are made in the members 31, or subsequently thereto.

To connect the members 31 and 32 together the members 32 are passed through the slots 35 until the slots 37 the construction of flooring, platforms and the like, it

Although the invention is particularly applicable to is not limited to these, but it can be applied to the construction of gratings and other frameworks of various kinds and also to the production of connections between intersecting members used for other purposes.

While there have been illustrated and described several methods embodying the present invention, it will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A method of constructing a flooring framework comprising two sets of intersecting members, which includes openings in the members of the first set and connecting the members together in their assembled positions, characterized in that the connection of the assembled members is effected by applying a pair of electrodes to the opposite sides of each member of the first set at its point of intersection with a member of the second set, with one or each of the electrodes engaging one of the projections, passing an electric current between the electrodes through the two members at the said point of intersection while simultaneously forcing the electrodes towards each other so as to produce at least partial flattening of the projection or projections while forcing the material of the first member into intimate contact with the second member and thereby welding the members together.

2. The method defined by claim 1 wherein the material of said members is deformed at points located on opposite sides of the first set of members adjacent each of said openings in order to form two outwardly extending projections and wherein pressure is applied to both of said projections.

3. The method defined by claim 1 additionally including the step of forming a series of slots along at least one of the edges of each of the members of the second set, into which slots the material of the members of the first set is forced.

4. The method defined by claim 1 wherein the forming of the opening and the enlargement thereof are efiected in a single operation using a two-stage die which first punches the opening in the member and then, by its further movement, deforms the material of the member to enlarge the opening.

5. The method defined by claim 3 wherein the slots are formed having a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the material of the corresponding projections, so as to receive this material when pressure is applied to the projections in order to enable a substantially flush surface to be obtained.

6. The method defined by claim 1 wherein each member of the first set is formed of a section having a central web with at least one flange along each of its edges and wherein the opening extends substantially the full width of the web between the flanges and is enlarged by deforming at least one of the flanges outwardly.

7. The method of claim 1 which further comprises forming the openings in the members of the first set to conform substantially to the cross-sectional form of the members of the second set and to include cuts which diverge from the places where enlargements of the openings are to be produced in order to facilitate the said deformation of the material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,288,706 Shannahan Dec. 24, 1918 1,713,314 Wills May 14, 1929 1,860,980 Bates May 31, 1932 2,194,272 Blu Mar. 19, 1940 2,250,617 Argentin July 29, 1941 2,256,812 Miller Sept. 23, 1941 2,347,411 Hefler Apr. 25, 1944 2,584,832 Beringer Feb. 5, 1952 2,673,390

Broberg Mar. 30, 1954 

